FBI Says Boston Terrorism Suspect Plotted to Behead Police Officer

The FBI announced this week that a terrorism suspect recently killed by police in Boston, Massachusetts was reportedly plotting to behead a random person, but then decided instead to attack a police officer.

The incident took place Tuesday morning , when 26-year-old Usaama Rahim was shot by police after he allegedly lunged at officers with a large military knife.

Rahim was being closely monitored by the FBI's anti-terrorism task force for recent social media posts that suggested he had become a radicalized Muslim jihadist.

An affidavit filed by the FBI this week against Rahim's family member, David Wright, alleges that the 26-year-old had purchased three knives and a sharpener last week, and had expressed his plans to behead a random stranger outside of Massachusetts in the coming days.

According to the complaint filed by the FBI, Rahim reportedly met with Wright and a third suspect in Rhode Island to "discuss their plans."

"Wright indicated that he agreed with Rahim's plan and supported it," the affidavit states, as reported by the Associated Press.

An official close to the investigation of Rahim told The Boston Globe that prior to Tuesday's shooting, Rahim was being monitored 24 hours a day by the FBI, as officials believed he would act on his plan to behead a stranger or attack a police officer soon.

"We believe the intent was to behead a police officer. We knew the plot had to be stopped. They were planning to take action Tuesday," the official told The Boston Globe this week.